Parent and child spaces should be for those with children 5 and under

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Parent-child parking spaces at supermarkets should be reserved primarily for those with children aged 5 and under, aside from older children with special needs (although a blue badge might be more appropriate where they meet the criteria, in these cases).

I was alone with my 4 month old today, the trolleys with the baby seats are kept next to these spaces. The spaces which have the easiest access to the trolleys had all been taken with the last taken by someone just before me, I reversed into a space around the corner and the driver was shaking their head at me, presumedly because their space only had extra room on one side and my space came up to them (see picture). I was surprised to then see them get out with a child of about 13. I saw multiple other people using these spaces with children looking like teenagers. I was able to get a space which still had fairly easy access to the trolleys, albeit by needing to walk on the road and inbetween the other cars, multiple people had parked in the spaces with the easiest access with much older children. I was lucky to get a space at all, had I not I would have had to walk across the busy carpark holding my baby.

YANBU- Just because someone has a child under 16 doesn’t mean they should take up these spaces, they should save them for people who need them the most.

YABU- first come first served, who cares if someone with a baby is having to traipse across a busy car park holding a baby to get to the baby trolleys.

I would rather my child see me challenging someone like you and all your vile and unnecessary language than see a child having their parent act like that.

So you don't think calling someone a cock sucking cunt infront of their child is aggressive? Righto

My youngest was 3.5 at start of Covid and by time we next took her to supermarket a year and a bit later (so round 5) she was in a high back booster and we didn’t ever use them again. Our local supermarket renamed them parent and baby/parent and toddler spaces recently so they must agree with you.

I agree with you. I stopped using them when I didn’t feel I needed them anymore, because I know someone else will need that space more.

It enrages me when I see P&C spaces being abused.
The usual abuse of these spaces is when a parent parks there and the other parent just sits in the car with the children whilst one parent goes shopping or to the cash point.

What really irks me at my local supermarket is that P&C spaces are closer to the door than disabled spaces.
Utterly bonkers.

I was at the Aldi last week and my neighbour had managed to park her car across 2 P and C spaces..it's not even a big car! She doesn't have any children. You just have to laugh really.

Ok but what do you suggest is done about it?

The problem with restricting the spaces to under 5 families is that those spaces are already underused, so I'd leave the rules as they are. I agree others shouldn't use them.

I think that there should be no parent and child spaces and far less disabled spaces.

Every supermarket I go to has so many disabled spaces empty.

This would free up
more spaces generally

I agree with getting rid of parent and child spaces, but I think we should keep the disabled spaces. I agree that they're often empty, but the point is that disabled people need to be confident that they can access a space when needed - unlike parents with small children, it's unlikely that they would have the option of just parking elsewhere instead. There are so many barriers that disabled people face in their everyday lives, we need to make this kind of stuff as easy as possible for people.

Not all disabilities are visible. I often used to get oh he/she doesn't look disabled when they were younger.🙄

I don't drive myself so couldn't give a flying fig. But I do know blue badge holders can park in P&C if there's no DB available. P&C aren't actually a legal requirement. But disabled bay's are.

Too true - had to use one once with my mum who had advanced Alzheimers: you just never know!

I used one when heavily pregnant. I was huge and in pain. I didn't have a disable badge or a child. But by god I appreciated the room to get in and out. If a person needs the room I have no problem with the decider spaces being used. They are there to help people who need them

There were at least two people on one page who told stories about how they needed a P&C space because it was raining. Why? I'm not being sarcastic, I genuinely don't understand! Why would rain make it any more difficult to push a baby in their pram, or to carry a toddler?

Like I said earlier, you really need to educate yourself about the impact of hidden disabilities. I know you won't, of course, but it bears saying anyway.

Let's hope for your sake that you don't end up one day finding out for yourself.

I'm assuming that babies and toddlers dissolve when they get wet.

Very true. I would much, much rather there were too many disabled spaces than too few. Life is hard enough for disabled people without making it even harder.

I had this about a year ago with a woman, who accosted me. I have a blue badge and chronic fatigue. Every step counts some days, which is why I need the badge as pathetically the P&C spaces are closer to the Sainsbury’s than the blue badge ones. On those days, I look at the P&C spaces first as it’s a real struggle. I’m never going for a big shop so I’m not there for long. I shop online but very occasionally need to get something or even just go to the cash point, which is right beside the P&C but quite a long way from the BB parking spaces. I was struggling to get back to my car and she blocked my way. I nearly collapsed in the car park as she screamed at me even after I explained I had a badge. I am early 50s and have just applied for my 3rd badge.

Again, I'm sorry that you had to experience that. You should park wherever is easiest for you.

Surely it’s just about trust. Trust that people will use them wisely. Some people will abuse any system, but most don’t.

I didn’t need to use the special spaces when in a tiny car with a baby, but I did when I was pregnant and the size of a house and had SPD. My conscience is quite happy with that.

The world is a much nicer place if you don’t automatically assume that everyone else is a cheating bastard, OP 🙂

Exactly. If P&C spaces were actually required for safety reasons, they'd be just as common at those places as they are at supermarkets. But hospitals don't need to "attract" families with children. And people rarely decide to go to the zoo or the cinema at the spur of the moment just because they've driven past them - those sort of trips are usually planned in advance, so the family are much less likely to shrug and try another zoo/cinema if they can't find a space quickly. P&C spaces are a marketing ploy, not a necessity. They're not worth getting worked up over.

100% with you. I similarly challenge. Appreciate there may be hidden disabilities but judging by how many people park in one at my local supermarket, and that it’s almost always the big Audis, Mercedes, etc who don’t have a child with them, it’s obvious who the piss takers are.

I bought a car with sliding doors today for this reason. I do actually have a toddler so most of the time I can use the P&C spaces. But when I only have my older two I feel I shouldn't use the P&C spaces with older kids. My son however is Autistic and will throw the car door into other cars and run accross roads etc. Most of the time I don't take him out to a shop as it's just not safe but when I have to and I don't have the baby I end up parking as far away as possible so he can open the door without damaging another person's car. Now my doors slide. Problem solved.

I actually wish the parent and child spaces were the far end of the car park with the baby trolley bay next to them. Then all the lazy selfish people who take the piss wouldn't use them and those who genuinely need the extra space would be able to access them easier. If you need to be close then that to me is a disability and you should get the blue badge and use the appropriate spaces

I’ve been that middle aged woman, who forgot her blue badge. It isn’t possible to tell this by looking at me. I’ve also been accosted for parking in P&C with my blue badge.

Unless you have a ridiculously massive car, there are very few car parking spaces so narrow that all the doors can only open slightly.